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My oh my.. Do you ever get that feeling when you love your kid so much that you would do anything for him? Well, anything, except attending those loud and chaotic school plays..
One day Nicky shared to his moms the wonderful news that he’d got a part in the school play and he was thrilled about. How dreamy for a 6 year old to be able to play a prince, in Cinderella too. Naturally, all the parents must attend this kind of events, but Agatha and Rio were not huge fans of public spaces, as you can imagine—especially not of other kids’ parents or those chaotic, poorly organized recitals—but they loved Nicky too much to miss it.
The morning of the recital everything was going smoothly, Agatha lay in bed, eyes barely open, the soft glow of early morning peeking through the curtains. The house was quiet, but she knew that wouldn’t last.
She felt Rio shift beside her, still deep in sleep. Agatha sighed, adjusting her head on Rio’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing.
Then, footsteps. Small, hurried, unmistakable.
“He’s coming,” Agatha whispered, voice still thick with sleep.
Rio groaned, pulling the blanket over her head.
The footsteps stopped outside their door for a second, then continued, and before either of them could react, the door burst open.
“Mami! Mama!” Nicky’s voice was full of excitement, way too much for whatever time it was. “Wake up! It’s today! It’s my play!”
Agatha turned her head just enough to see the red numbers of the alarm clock. 5:00 AM.
“Baby,” she mumbled, voice muffled by the pillow, “it’s still night.”
“No, it’s morning,” Nicky corrected her, climbing onto the bed between them.
Rio groaned again, peeking one eye out from under the blanket. “It’s dark, Nicky. That means sleep.”
“But I’m too excited to sleep!” He bounced slightly, vibrating with energy.
Agatha reached out, catching his tiny body before he could fully wake them up. “You need rest, baby. Your play isn’t for hours. Plus, you’ll end up being very very tired at school if you don’t rest now.”
Nicky pouted. “But—”
“No buts, Nicky” Rio said, voice still rough from sleep. “Back to bed.”
With an exaggerated sigh, Nicky rolled off the bed. “Fine.” He trudged toward the door, shoulders slumped like the weight of the world was on him.
When the door finally clicked shut, Agatha buried her face into her pillow, mumbling, “Why do they make these things so early?”
Rio chuckled, shifting so her arm draped lazily over Agatha’s back “I.. don’t know.”
Agatha huffed, eyes still closed. “He’s our kid. He was bound to be excited about something we hate.”
“Do we really have to go?” Rio asked, voice hopeful.
Agatha turned her head slightly, cracking one eye open. “Yes, Rio, he’s six. And it’s so important for him for us to be there.”
Rio sighed. “Right. So, we have to go.”
“You promised.”
Agatha groaned, rolling onto her back. “At least we only have to deal with the other parents for a couple of hours.”
“I’d rather be shot.”
Agatha smirked. “Careful, I might make that happen.”
“You know I would love that.” Rio laughed, pressing a kiss to Agatha’s forehead before they both drifted back into sleep.
By the time they actually got out of bed, Nicky was already fully dressed in his costume, a slightly crumpled paper crown sitting sideways on his head. “Finally! I thought you were gonna sleep forever.”
“We would’ve,” Agatha grumbled, rubbing her face as she shuffled toward the kitchen.
At the school, the chaos was worse than expected. Parents filled the too-small chairs, talking over each other about their children’s performances. Some flipped through programs, while others balanced younger siblings on their laps. The auditorium smelled faintly of glue and juice boxes. Teachers darted around, trying to organize the students behind the curtain.
Agatha and Rio found seats near the back, hoping to avoid conversation. That hope disappeared when another mom turned around with a wide smile.
“Hiiiii… You must be Nicky’s moms! I can see he’s really excited!”
Agatha forced a polite smile. “Yeah, he is.”
The woman leaned in. “What part does he play again?”
Rio sighed. “The prince”
“Oh! How amazing!” The woman turned back around, satisfied.
Agatha muttered, “We should’ve sat in the car a little more”
“Too late now,” Rio whispered.
The lights dimmed.
The principal stepped onto the stage and gave a short speech about the effort the children had put into the performance. She thanked the teachers, the parents, and the volunteers who had helped with the sets. Then, the curtains opened.
The performance started, and to their surprise, it wasn’t bad. The kids remembered their lines, stepping carefully through their rehearsed scenes. The costumes, though clearly handmade, worked well enough. The audience clapped along at the right moments. Nicky stood tall as the prince, wearing a paper crown and a blue velvet cape that dragged slightly behind him. He delivered his lines with confidence, his voice clear and steady. He spotted them in the audience and waved excitedly.
Rio waved back with a small smile. “Alright, this is not too bad. And he’s very cute.”
Agatha smirked. “Just like his mama.”
Rio rolled her eyes. “Of course, Agatha.”
As the performance continued, Agatha and Rio exchanged glances. Some kids hesitated or forgot lines, but Nicky stayed focused. When his big moment came, he knelt before Cinderella and slipped the tiny sparkling shoe onto her foot. The audience clapped. The final scene ended with a cheerful song, and the kids took their bows.
When the performance ended, Nicky ran to them, arms wide. “Did you see? Did you see?”
“You were the best prince I’ve ever seen,” Agatha said, crouching to his level.
Rio ruffled his hair. “Yeah, your mama is right. But I’m jealous now, you’re my prince only.”
Nicky giggled. “I promise you mami, you and mama are still my favorite.”
Rio chuckled. “Alright, I’ll allow it.”
Nicky grinned. “Good. Because next time, I want to be the king!”
Agatha exchanged a glance with Rio. They still hated recitals. The crowded room, the small chairs, the forced conversations—it wasn’t their scene. But for him?
They’d sit through a thousand.
As they walked to the car, Nicky chattered about the play. He recited lines, reenacted his bow, and described how nervous he had felt backstage. Agatha listened, nodding along. Rio held his hand, squeezing it now and then.
“You were really brave,” Rio said. “You didn’t even look scared.”
“I was a little,” Nicky admitted. “But I just pretended I wasn’t.”
Agatha smiled. “That’s the trick.”
They reached the car. As Rio buckled him in, Nicky yawned. His excitement had worn him out.
“Next year, I want to be in another play,” he murmured.
Rio glanced at Agatha. “Guess we’ll be back.”
Agatha sighed. “Guess so.”
Nicky’s eyes fluttered shut. Agatha and Rio climbed into the front seats, the night finally quiet around them. They still hated recitals.
But for him, they’d be there every time.